Here's the definition from NN/g:
Product design principles (or, in short, design principles) are value statements that frame design decisions and support consistency in decision making across teams working on the same product or service.
Design principles serve as your team’s playbook and the foundation of a high-performing organization. While most companies have a clear vision for their product or service, maintaining alignment becomes challenging as teams grow. Diverse perspectives can lead to inconsistency in decision-making, ultimately wasting time and slowing progress. A shared set of principles ensures everyone stays on the same trajectory to achieve their goals.
Understanding how teams work and where they believe their focus should be can be both fun and insightful. Aligning on these principles also serves as a valuable team-building experience.
Here’s an example of a recent set of design principles I helped shape and successfully gain organizational buy-in for.
